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When toddlers and kids don't get their way, every parent knows that a tantrum is very close. This method can be used to avoid tantrums at a friend's house, before bedtime, or in a public place.

Steps

1

Give them a five minute warning. Let your kid know that it is time to go in exactly five minutes. You can also raise your hand to motion "five" with your fingers.

2

Start a countdown. Remind them once a minute that you will be leaving soon. During this time, make sure that your kid understands the departure by looking at you instead of just hearing what you're saying.

3

Get going. Let your kid finish the activity they are doing and then tell them it's time's up. Because of all the warnings, your kid won't be surprised playtime is over and should come quietly.

Community Q&A

Let your child throw a fit. Don't respond to it. When they've calmed down a little, put them in time out, one minute for each year of their age. If you keep warning them without ever actually giving a punishment, they're never going to listen to you.

Tips

Your kid may encourage you to stay and watch them. This may be an advantage for them because you're willing to wait longer than your own warnings and they'll learn that they will be able to play for longer periods of time as you wait.

Article Info

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, volunteer authors worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has also been viewed 5,471 times.